I will be in Dublin for a stop over for a total of 10 hours at the end of April. I get in at 8am, and leave at 6:30pm

I was going to do a hop on and hop off kind of tour. Is this a good idea? I thought it would be a good way to really see the city in my short amount of time.

Does anyone have any suggestions with how to spend the rest of my day? Any help would be great as I know there is a lot to see, but little time to see it in.

Thanks

I think the hop on-hop off bus is a wonderful idea. Allowing time to get in to the city and assuming you need to be back at the airport two hours before your plane leaves, that should be a good amount of time for a tour like that.

My daughter and I were going to do the hop on-hop off in Dublin two years ago on an afternoon when we had about three hours. The bus driver talked us out of it! He said he didn't want to take our money when we didn't have time to hop off anywhere. But you should have time to do the full tour and get off a place or two. Like maybe to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College Library.

If you're coming to the U.S. after your stopover, you should be back at the Airport Check-In about 4:00 PM. There's more to go thru than an intra-EU flight. I would take an AirLink Bus (757) from the Airport to the Quay at O'Connell Street and do a walkabout from there. I don't know what time Carroll's (Department / Souvenir) store opens; but I would plan a couple of hours for that store and Madigan's Pub (for a Carvery lunch).

Maybe I would take a Taxi across the Liffey by St. Stephens Green and Trinity University early in the day: Maybe find a Teahouse for some Morning Tea early in the day.

definitely go into town and take the H-o-h-o tour if the weather is nice. But don't even think of it as 10 hours . . . . More like 5+ hours free time what w/ all the airport procedures, and transport to the city and back.

I tried to google Carroll's - but didnt come up with much. What kind of store is it? Just souvenirs?

It's right on O'Connell Street about 3-blocks from Abbey St. on the corner. I've just been in the Souvenir shop on the main floor so I'm not sure what lines of merchandise they sell other than BlackThorn Walking sticks, etc. Try www.CarrollsIrishGifts.com
I'm not sure if it's the one on Henry Street or on Lower Gardiner Street. According to the Pix on their website, they also sell Liquors & Beers

Go get loaded -- try visiting the Guinness brewery.

are there any other shops that I should visit?

I think Trinity University library and seeing the Book of Kells is well worth the trip. Amazing.

http://www.tcd.ie/Library/

St. Patricks' is also worth a visit.

http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/

For sure, if you're a beer drinker, the Guinness factory would be fun:

http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/Index.aspx

If you just want to relax, I second the motion to just take the bus into the heart of Dublin and walk around. Great city for walking.

Hope the weather's good! Erin go bragh!

As you have only about 5 Hrs, I would not waste it going to the Guinness Brewery. You do not see the brewery. It is a multimedia display with a free beer at the end. My choice would be to see the Book of Kells display and perhaps one other tourist sight. There will not be time to do the Hop on Hop off tour and actually enter and tour the sights.

Dublin city centre is pretty small, it's just perfect for a lazy day spent wandering around, popping in and out of shops, cafes, bars, and having a long lazy lunch somewhere with a view onto the street.
I would get a bus from the airport to Trinity, have a look at the Book of Kells, then I would walk the route of the central part of the bus tour. Head down Nassau street and check out the shops along the way eg Kilkenny and Blarney Woollen Mills. There's a great tweed shop along there called Kevin and Howlin - it's like stepping back in time.
Check out the National Gallery, walk past Govt Buildings, Merrion Sq., on up to Stephen's Green, and then back down Grafton Street and its side streets to Trinity. Allow time to stop and sample any restaurants/bars that take your fancy along the way.
If you still have time to kill, then you could go on and do the outer part of the bus tour